Runner
by Mizuki99
Summary: When Akihito gets a call from an old friend, Asami starts to dig. What is his kitten hiding? And who is this new kid on the block that refers to himself as 'Wildcat?
1. Prologue

**_Title_**: Runner  
**_Summary_**: When Akihito gets a call from an old friend, Asami starts to dig. What is his kitten hiding? And who is this new kid on the block that refers to himself as 'Wildcat'?**_  
Rating_**: T—Due to change**_  
Genre_**: Suspense/Romance**_  
Length_**: 15 Chapters

* * *

**_Author's Note:_** This is my first story for Viewfinder and I have to admit, I was hooked from the beginning. It was a bit confusing to follow because of the Extras separating some of the chapters in the Naked Truth/Hong Kong arcs but the way the two bled together just caught my attention and Akihito's feisty nature gave me all sorts of possibilities.

This takes place after Escape/Love arc as most of them do so Akihito is living with Asami.

To the readers of my KHR stories: Don't worry. I'm not abandoning them or anything. I'm just exploring my options.

* * *

Prologue: My Longing

There were times when Akihito missed his old life.

He missed the feel of the wind against his skin, the burn of adrenalin humming through his veins… he missed the feel of the dead-zone—the highest point of the jump before he was to freefall and catch himself on his intended path—but most of all, he missed the feel of leather and fur brushing his skin as he ran.

But he'd given it up.

It had nothing to do with Asami, really—in truth, it had everything to do with the fact that he had been caught. The authorities couldn't do much because he hadn't really broken any laws so after spending the night in a holding cell that smelled like piss and bile, he was released with a slap on the wrists and a fine for the property that was damaged.

He had to walk away after that.

Kou was, perhaps, the only person who knew what it was he occupied himself with and had lectured him repeatedly about how _dangerous_ it was. He didn't care. It was fun.

Free running.

_God_, he missed it.

Akihito closed his eyes. '_Maybe… if I close my eyes and tilt my head back like this,_' He leaned back a bit, his hands on the guard rails of the roof to Asami's apartment building. '_I can feel that rush again._' Images of his high-speed chase with Asami flashed through his mind and heat coursed through his veins. He had to bite back a moan.

Asami would never allow such dangerous pastimes.

'_Since when do you let yourself take orders from that sicko?_' Akihito thought snidely and—he realized belatedly—a bit cruelly. It wasn't Asami's fault that he couldn't run anymore though it was certainly a contributing factor. It wasn't anyone's fault, really, save for his own.

"What are you doing out here?" Kirishima asked. "You're going to get sick. It's freezing."

"I didn't notice." Akihito admitted, not looking at the bodyguard.

"Yes well, come on back inside." Kirishima said, reaching out and then thinking better of touching him. Akihito's grip tightened on the rail and he was tempted to laugh, albeit hysterically. Kirishima thought he was going to jump.

'_You were thinking about it, though, weren't you…?_' Akihito thought to himself. '_Not because it would kill you… but because you could catch yourself on one of the balconies down below. You could swing your legs into the one directly below the one you catch yourself on. You've done it a million times and you could do it again. Just once._'

But no. He couldn't. Kirishima was standing right there and he would undoubtedly catch him before he jumped. He laughed bitterly drawing a strange look. "Have you ever wanted to do something you haven't done in a long time?" Akihito asked suddenly.

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Kirishima asked bewildered.

Akihito smiled humorlessly. "Forget it. Let's go back inside." He was starting to get cold. With one last longing glance at the edge of the building, Akihito decided that maybe it was best to call it a night.

* * *

"Kirishima thinks you're suicidal." Asami commented as Akihito walked into the bedroom after a hot shower.

"Maybe I am," He sniped with wry bemusement. "Maybe I'm just looking for the biggest building to jump off of." '_Not necessarily a lie._' He thought snidely. That seemed to be all he wanted to do lately was jump off a building. Asami was silent. Akihito sighed after a few moments. "I'm just… bored, I guess. The jobs have been slow lately." '_And you've been out of town more often._' But like _fuck_ he was going to admit that he wished Asami would stick around a bit more often out loud.

Asami was not fooled. "Is my little kitten lonely without me around?" He purred, coming up behind a towel-clad Akihito.

"Like I'd ever be!" Akihito snapped, spinning around and glaring at the man who nimbly dodged his swipe. He caught a slender wrist in his hand and was gentle as he stroked up the limb.

"It's okay to feel lonely, Akihito. No one will think less of you." The bastard actually had the gall to sound like he cared… and maybe he did. Akihito wasn't sure anymore.

"I'm not lonely. I told you. I'm bored." That much was the truth even though he admitted it sulkily.

"Well then," Asami purred, nuzzling his throat. "Let me entertain you." Akihito felt his head loll back against his will as he submitted and his former longing was forgotten… for the moment, at least.

**_Tsuzukeru._**


	2. Chapter 1

**_Title_**: Runner  
**_Summary_**: When Akihito gets a call from an old friend, Asami starts to dig. What is his kitten hiding? And who is this new kid on the block that refers to himself as 'Wildcat'?**_  
Rating_**: T—Due to change**_  
Genre_**: Suspense/Romance**_  
Length_**: 15 Chapters

* * *

**_Author's Note:_** This story will be a total of 15 chapters, not including the prologue and epilogue. I will go into depth about Takaba's lurking predatory nature (and if no one gets the pun, I'm calling it fault) and what being a "runner" entails next chapter.

Implied of underage drug addiction and other dark themes. Past AkiOC (there won't be any in the future though.)

* * *

Chapter 1: An Old Friend

_He knew it was wrong. It was always **wrong** but he couldn't bring himself to stop. It was an amazing feeling, to kick off of the edge of a building and be momentarily trapped in freefall before you collided with solid ground again. It exhilarated him. It thrilled him like nothing else could and he always wanted more-more-**more**!_

_He couldn't see straight anymore. The pills in his system had long ago made it hard to think and his sight had altered as well. Colors had long since shifted and blended together. The only thing he could see was the path he intended to take. All he had to do was jump_—

Akihito awoke with the gasp, the lingering sensation of freefall leaving his limbs. How long had it been since he'd had one of those dreams?

Akihito rolled over to look at the clock. It was only four in the morning. He huffed under his breath and slid out of Asami's vice like grip with practiced ease, ignoring the way his body ached exquisitely. Asami hadn't stirred—which was an extremely lucky piece of _fate_—so Akihito took care to be quiet about gathering his clothes.

He'd go for a walk to clear his head.

The streets of Shinjuku were busy as they always were. A gust of wind swept past him and Akihito pulled his coat tighter. The way the material flexed over his body reminded him of—

_Stop._

Now was not the time to be reminiscing, not when he could so easily slip into the Redlight District and—_holy hell, he needed to get the fuck out of here!_

Akihito ran.

He didn't care where his legs were going to lead him, he just needed to get the hell out of here. Years of stalking and running made his stamina rank at epic proportions so he could run for a full mile before he started to feel the burn out of adrenalin.

So that's what he did.

When his legs gave out, Akihito stopped and took in his surroundings. '_Of all the places you could have taken me, legs, you chose to take me **here**?_' He thought darkly.

It was the base of the building he had jumped off of to escape Asami. The memory alone was enough to make him smirk. He remembered the shock that painted those golden eyes of his... how being the prey made him feel that sense of excitement that he'd only ever gotten from running information between checkpoints.

While free running in itself wasn't particularly illegal, it wasn't legal either. People that ran usually got slapped with some half-grade charge like trespassing or vandalism and ended up paying a hefty fine. There were some that got out of the game after their first offense—like Akihito did—and then there were some that ended up being recruited by local Yakuza operations for their knowledge of the land. Luckily, runners never showed their face and never used their real names. They all had aliases or nicknames they used.

Akihito's was Pantera.

'_But not anymore._' Akihito thought sullenly as he slipped through the shadows. A flash of light hit his hazel eyes and he winced at the piercing pain it brought to his head.

The sun was coming up. It was time to go back.

* * *

Asami was livid when he got back. "Where'd you go?" He asked coldly, his eyes darkening to sharp gold. His anger was palpable with the way his eyes narrowed into pinpricks.

"Out." Akihito said evasively. He hadn't gone anywhere, really.

"Akihito." The one in question flinched at how sharply his name had been spoken. "You've got a lot of nerve sneaking out like that and while I'm in town too. It's one thing to do it while I'm away but slipping out of my arms? I should punish you."

"You punish me regardless of whether or not I do something so what's the point of protesting anymore?" Maybe it was his boredom and annoyance combined talking.

If Asami was going to reply, it was cut off by the demanding cry of Akihito's cell phone which he had left behind on a whim. He snatched it up before Asami could think about taking it. '_An unfamiliar number._' He thought. "Takaba Akihito speaking," He said disinterestedly.

"_Aki, it's Tsukiya~!_" A female voice chimed. Akihito's eyes lit up.

"Tsuki-chan. It's been a while." He grinned. "How's the old business going or are you still in the game?"

"_It's wicked, baby~. Hey, I'm going to be in Shinjuku today and I was wondering if you wanted to meet up. We could go get lunch._"

"That sounds great. We can catch up. Did you get my number from Kou?"

"_Yeah. He was a little pissed when I asked him what your number was considering how the three of us parted and all…_"

Akihito winced. "Don't remind me. It took eight months of physical therapy for me to get full use of my arm again." Asami was giving him a predatory look. That wasn't a good sign. He'd better end this call now. "So I'll meet up with you later?"

"_Yeah. We can meet in front of the station. You do jobs there, don't you?_"

"I do. I'll talk to you then."

"_Bye-bye~!_"

She hung up just in time for Akihito to slam the phone shut and spin around so his back wasn't turned to Asami who had grabbed his waist and jerked their hips together causing the younger of the two to cry out. "An old girlfriend?" Asami asked almost disinterestedly.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Akihito said, regaining some of his fire. "It's a pity I won't tell you."

"Naughty kitten. Leaving your lover in the dark…" There was a sharp bite on the nape of his neck that made it hard to reply. "I'll just have to mark you so she knows to keep her hands to herself." He bit again and again, each mark becoming more and more prominent. Akihito's nails dug into Asami's shoulders as the pain-bordering-pleasure became too intense for Akihito to bear.

Later, after they'd calmed down and Asami's insatiable appetite was somewhat sedated, Asami asked Akihito, "So? Who was it?"

"Hm?" Akihito looked up from his place on Asami's chest. "Oh… on the phone. An old friend from high school—Nakamori Tsukiya. She's a year older than I am. We had a thing going for a while but it's been over since I chose a different path for my life." '_Though I have to wonder if it's really different._'

"And? How'd you meet?" Asami asked. Akihito looked up at him and glared. He was met with an arrogant smirk that made his blood boil. "I'm simply curious."

"I was sixteen and stupid." Akihito finally said. '_Let him draw from that what he will. I have no doubt he looked into my background anyways, the creepy jerk._' And besides, Asami didn't need to know about his Runner history. Undoubtedly that would draw up all kinds of questions that Akihito really did not want to answer.

"Another journalist?"

"More like running buddy…" He said slowly, as though he was talking to a child that wasn't getting the full picture. "She bought me my first Polaroid." He added. Asami's eyes flashed with amused mirth and Akihito felt a sense of naughty triumph even though the words weren't lies at all. '_Sucker,_' He thought. "After I got picked up by the system for the first time, we split. It was on fairly good terms considering." Considering the fact that their romance had been adrenalin induced—considering how addicted to the rush they had gotten… it all could have been so much worse than it actually was. One of them could have died before they got to split or they could have been more violent on their high points. Just as well. They were still on speaking terms at least.

"I'm not sure I want you to go meet her." Asami mused.

"Why? Because she's my ex or because you think she might be competition?" Akihito asked.

"Yes, on both accounts." Asami said casually. He wasn't afraid to admit it. It wasn't like his little kitten would believe him either way.

"She's not competition, Asami. And who said I'd go out with an asshole like you anyways?" Akihito asked, his fire returning again. "She's just an old friend now. You could hardly call what we had a 'budding romance' anyways. And for the record, I think she's engaged now."

"I never would have figured you for the type to be arrested." Asami mused, changing the subject more to humor his feisty lover. His fingers drifted lazily over Akihito's spine.

Akihito relaxed and let him guide the topic. "Yeah, well… it's not exactly something I'm proud of." '_There are a lot of things I did that I'm not proud of._' Like how he'd punched Kou out the night he confronted him or the way he'd thrown himself mindlessly into a relationship with a girl he knew practically nothing about. Like how he'd been so careless with his life for all those years only to wind up dislocating his shoulder just before being arrested and fined.

But… what are mistakes if not lessons to be derived from?

* * *

"Hey, Aki!"

"Yo… Tsuki." Akihito smiled a bit.

She was still the same as he remembered—long legs that went from here to there, flat chest, blonde hair, green eyes and a mole under her eye. She still wore those tacky bracelets with plastic beads and those gaudy bright colored leggings that contrasted with her modest, ruffled black dress and high heeled pumps.

She hadn't changed a bit.

Still… Akihito couldn't help but feel that something was… off. Why was she here? Why did she go through all the trouble of contacting him almost six years after they split?

He finally worked up the nerve to ask when they were sitting at a fountain with a pair of colas. "As usual, you see right through me." She said, her smile losing its luster. She looked down at her soda with sad melancholy. "It's just… I don't know who else to turn to. Everyone else is either working for the Yakuza or in jail and… I'm all out of options."

What was she talking about?

"Tsukiya…" Akihito said slowly. "Are you in some kind of trouble?"

"Oh, Aki. You have to help me." She pleaded, looking up at him. "I screwed up… like… _majorly_ screwed up."

Akihito took a breath and steeled himself. "Tell me what happened."

"Alright… I got recruited by a corporation in Ikebukuro after we split and it worked out for a few years. I ended up getting a better offer overseas so I took it. I… hooked up with a client about six and a half months ago and… well…" She looked up at him and smiled. "I'm pregnant."

_That's_ why he felt different around her. The clothes she wore before were tight and hugged her curves… the dress she was wearing now was loose fitting with ruffles to hide her figure from view.

"Congratulations," He smiled. "I'm happy for you. But what do you need my help for?"

She sighed softly. "The old company I used to work for found out about the new deal and was pissed. My boss and fiancé—the baby's father—is missing and now they've started coming after me." She flung herself at Akihito, latching her arms around his neck in desperation. The empty can clattered against the ground where it had been disregarded. "You have to help me, Akihito! I can't fight them on my own. It's not just my life I'm risking anymore. I have a child to think about too. That's why I cleaned up. That's why… that's why I called you for help." Her grip tightened on his neck before she pulled back, still clutching his shoulders, and looked up with tears in her eyes. "So? Will you help me? Aki?"

**_Tsuzukeru._**


	3. Chapter 2

**_Title_**: Runner  
**_Summary_**: When Akihito gets a call from an old friend, Asami starts to dig. What is his kitten hiding? And who is this new kid on the block that refers to himself as 'Wildcat'?**_  
Rating_**: T—Due to change**_  
Genre_**: Suspense/Romance**_  
Length_**: 15 Chapters

* * *

**_Author's Note:_ **So yeah. I was going to wait for a few days to post this but after seeing the response it got, I just kind of... gave in.

And also, before I forget, because my friend was the one to send me the files, I haven't read the Abyss arc yet so I have no idea what happens so this may or may not be considered AU... either way. No spoilers please ;p

_**To** **hawk1891**_:I hate to break it to you but regardless of the past relationship, Tsukiya isn't an antagonist. She's not even a rival for Aki's affections.

* * *

Chapter 2: A Little Rusty

Akihito looked in the full length mirror at the hotel with a humorless smile. How long had it been since he'd worn this outfit? "It's a little snug." He mused. And it was.

He was wearing a black pair of leather fingerless gloves that cut off about a half an inch above the elbow. There were brown feathers adjourning the hem and along where the zipper to hold them in place was. His top was made out of the same shimmery leather and lacked sleeves. Where the sleeves would have been, there were the same dark brown fur with a black base that accented his biceps. The feather-soft fur traced over the hood of the jacket and went down the front where the zipper met, hiding it quite efficiently. The jacket base of the zipper stopped about three and a half inches below the base of his ribs, just above his navel. The fur lined the hem and tail. The tail was low and cut off just above the back of his knees. His pants were a pair of low-riding leather jeans that had no added design. They fell over his legs and cut off where his calf-high boots began. The boots were thick soled combat boots with silver accents holding the laces in place.

On his biceps, there were mirrored wing-tattoos with a tribal design. The tattoo on his navel, just above the hem of the pants, was a tribal panther with contrasting red eyes.

"You know," He commented. "I was surprised you still had blacklight cream left." Blacklight cream was used to make blacklight ink visible without the light. The only problem with it was that it made it visible for long periods of time.

He wouldn't be going back hom—to Asami's any time soon.

Actually, if this worked out the way he was hoping it would, he wouldn't need to… because he would escape. Because he would be free… until Asami caught him again, that is—because let's face it. When that man wanted something, he stopped at nothing to get it and it wasn't like Akihito to self-delude himself into thinking otherwise.

"I keep it on hand. Kaoru, my fiancé, likes to look at my tattoos from time to time." Tsukiya said, walking into the room he used to change. "I'm so glad you agreed to help me, Aki. I don't know what I'd do without you." She smiled.

"Don't worry about it. I owe you one anyways." Akihito turned back towards her. "So what's my target?"

"Information." She said, getting serious. "There's a USB disk that Takamatsu Rida hid in a desk in his hotel room. It may have Kaoru's location on it. You can switch it out with this." She handed him a red and black USB stick. "It's blank but he shouldn't know about the switch until he installs it on his computer again. Luckily, I took the liberty of snatching a master key from one of the maids and duplicating it. All you have to do is get in on the roof."

"Which hotel is it?" Akihito asked, slipping the card into the pocket on the inside of his jacket.

"Royale Hotel," She replied. "The skylight is the easiest mode of passage. I'll guide you from there… but don't worry. The challenge is only just beginning~." She smiled as she said this.

"Thanks, Tsuki." Akihito said dryly. That wasn't really a compliment when someone took the liberty of giving you the harder entrance to deal with. "It really means a lot that you make my job harder than it has to be."

"I knew you'd like it~!" She winked.

* * *

Akihito felt his lips twitch one last time before he launched himself forward into a quick sprint and launched himself of the side of the building. He landed in a crouch where he rolled and stood up again and continued running. He vaulted over the guard rail and caught his fingers on the edge of the building that he'd almost narrowly missed and scrambled up the side before he broke into another spring, deciding not to waste time on trivial things like a near death experience—and besides... he'd had enough of them to last him a lifetime anyways.

It was clear, though, that he was more than a little rusty. The lingering soreness from his earlier _discipline_ was also a key factor but he wasn't going to let it hinder him.

When he landed on top of the hotel, he reached into the black bag he had taken and pulled out a pocket knife where he unscrewed the bolts holding the skylight down. He lifted and dropped a rope, positioning it so that it would fall back in place when he went inside of the hotel.

The hotel itself was rather lavish and Akihito hated it instantly. Everything about it reminded him of Asami and not in a good way. It was desperately overpriced as though the owner was compensating for something he severely lacked.

Akihito gave the rope a firm yank and put it in his bag. Within seconds, his cell phone was on hands-free and the wire was in his ear. "Now what?" He asked when she picked up.

[_Did you use the skylight?_]

"Yes," Akihito stood up and adjusted his bag so that it wouldn't snag on anything.

[_Three doors down on the left there should be a supply closet. You can use that room to change._]

Akihito slipped efficiently through the shadows before he ducked into the small supply room. He locked the door and undid the clasp to his bag. "Tell me which room is his so I'm prepared." Akihito said as he pulled out a male housekeeping uniform. Thankfully, all the supplies he would need were in this room.

[_Penthouse suite on the eighth floor. The room number is 856._] Thankfully, he was already on the eighth floor which meant it was just down the hall. [_Are you ready, Aki?_]

"As ready as I'll ever be." Akihito said casually. He put a pair of thick, wire-frame glasses on and slicked his hair back with dark grease to make it look as though he was a brunet and not a sandy blond. "Can you see what I see?"

[_The LED cameras are working splendidly. I am pleased with myself._]

"Could you sound anymore conceded?" Akihito said dryly as he put on the nametag—_Kurosawa Gin_—before he unlocked the door and nudged his way out. He made his way down the hall with the backdrop of his blood rushing in his ears. He knocked twice on the door. "Room service!"

[_He's gone out for the evening. He won't be back with a client until later._]

Akihito waited until the cell-jammer beeped to signify that it had been turned on before he spoke. "I know but it's standard procedure. I gotta' stay in character." Akihito replied as he closed the door and made his way over to the—predictably—locked desk. He reached in for his bag and grabbed the lock-picking set he'd stashed before he came.

[_Uh oh…_]

Akihito cursed under his breath. "Tsukiya, I swear, if you say that he is back sooner than expected," He said warningly.

[_Um… okay then… he's not…_] She sounded worried. [_I'm going to buy you some time, Aki, but work quickly._]

* * *

"He's gone out for the evening." Tsukiya assured as she scanned the real security cameras in the hotel with disinterest. She had recorded enough footage to stream it on a loop in place of the original. It made it so Akihito wouldn't be made out as an imposter. "He won't be back with a client until later."

She shifted a bit, tapping her fingers against the keyboard without typing anything for a moment before she heard the tell-tale sign of a cell-jammer being turned on. She'd taken extra care to make sure their communication lines weren't on the same frequency as the jammer and that the jammer only worked in Takamatsu's room by having receivers planted beforehand. [_I know but it's standard procedure._]

"_Welcome back, sir,_" The doorman greeted, opening the door for the one person Tsukiya did not want to see.

"Uh oh…" She whispered and there was a foul curse on the other end of the line.

[_Tsukiya, I swear, if you say that he is back sooner than expected…_] Akihito trailed off.

"Um…" Tsukiya said, her blood turning cold. "Okay then… he's not…" She heard Akihito scoff. "I'm going to buy you some time, Aki, but work quickly. Takamatsu came back with a client sooner than I anticipated."

Tsukiya began typing, her fingers drumming against the keyboard almost rapidly as she hacked into the hotel's networking. It was difficult but not overbearingly so. '_Alright, if I just rewire it a bit and do this,_' She pressed enter. '_The front desk will have to recheck the payment._'

"_Um, excuse me, Takamatsu-san,_" The clerk said. "_Forgive me for intruding on whatever business you may need to attend to,_" She gave the dark-haired, golden eyed stranger he was with a significant glance. Tsukiya wondered if she knew who the man was—she certainly hadn't seen him anywhere before. "_But it seems that we may need to swipe your card again… something didn't go right with the payment transfer._"

* * *

[_You've got two minutes._] Tsukiya said just as the tumblers clicked out of place. Akihito grabbed the USB drive and put the replica back in the exact same place, careful not to disturb the scene as he closed the drawer. If this guy was anything like Asami then he would notice if even a dust bunny had been shifted.

Akihito put his lock-picking set into the cart and quickly gathered the unclean towels. [_Aki, ninety seconds. They just got on the elevator._] Akihito ticked under his breath as he opened the door and retreated down the halls with a brusque, profession walk.

"I'm out." He said as he turned the cell-jammer off and made his way back to the supply closet.

"Excuse me," A male voice said just as Akihito was going to walk past him. Akihito stopped briefly and resisted the urge to curse aloud.

"Yes?" Akihito asked, his pitching his voice high enough to make it almost whispery as though he had a sore throat.

"Could you, perhaps, bring more towels to my room? It's at the end of the hall."

"Of course, sir." Akihito nodded. "I'll be just a second."

"Thank you." The man, Takamatsu, gave what he assumed was a winning smile. "And one more thing." He said before Akihito could go. "Can you drop this off at the front desk? Tell them to give it to the next person who asks for Takamatsu."

"Yes, of course. It will be no problem." Akihito dipped his head. "Good evening."

"To you as well," Takamatsu winked.

"Still flirting with everyone you see, aren't you, Takamatsu?"

Akihito felt his heart almost stop as he walked past the man that was supposed to be Takamatsu's client.

Why couldn't he go one day without running into this bastard!?

Thankfully, Asami hadn't spared him a glance. '_Now if only he could do the same thing when I'm not working._' He thought snidely but made sure to keep the expression off of his face. "I can't help it, Asami. This one's especially adorable." Akihito ducked his head to hide his combined smirk and flush.

If only they knew…

* * *

"How was it?" Tsukiya asked as Akihito stepped into the average hotel that would act as their headquarters until later.

Akihito couldn't keep the boyish, giddy smile off of his face as soon as she asked. "Epic."

Tsukiya laughed. "I envy you." She said, stroking her belly. "Go take a shower while I work on sorting the information onto separate drives. I get the feeling that this is what his client was buying so we're going to make a very generous donation." She said with a conniving smile. "Asami Ryuuichi runs a club called Sion. Kaoru has a membership card there. Some big-time politicians go there to relax after a hard day at work. Maybe you could stop by as _Pantera_ and ask around but be careful. This guy has some major ties with local Yakuza."

"So I've been told," Akihito said cryptically. Tsukiya raised an eyebrow.

"You know him?"

"We've met…" He said slowly but offered no more information and Tsukiya didn't pry. It was easily her best trait—leaving things be despite her curiosity.

"Anyways, Kaoru has done business with Asami in the past—don't worry," She said hastily, noticing the narrowing of Akihito's eyes. "It was all legit business. It had to do with some top brand scotch since Divine Corps—Kaoru's company—has a hand in that kind of business. He got Asami-san a discount."

Akihito shrugged it off. It wasn't as though he was interested in Asami's business (the legal aspects of it at least). "Out of pure curiosity, why do you want to give him information that may lead you to your fiancé?"

"Because Asami might be on the same case we are," Tsukiya said, swiveling her office chair back to her multi-screen set-up. "I'm going to set up a means of communication in a separate file for Asami so I can ask him for help."

Akihito just barely refrained from cursing aloud. As it was, his eyes narrowed and the blood drained rapidly from his face. "A-Ah, Tsuki, are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Yeah, why?" Tsukiya asked, spinning half way to look at him. "Do you have a beef with him?"

Akihito wanted to say yes but his pride prevented him from admitting it. She would want details and while Akihito had no problem telling her about any of his lovers (which Asami was _not!_), he wasn't particularly sure he wanted her to know about his new line of work so it was with a startling amount of ire that he said otherwise. "Nope."

Tsukiya looked at him with no small amount of suspicion and speculation circling behind her emerald eyes. When she sensed that Akihito wouldn't say anymore, she turned back to her computer. "I'll try to keep your contact at a minimum." She finally said.

Akihito felt the tension he hadn't even felt leave his body. "Thanks, Tsuki." He sighed. "I gotta' make a phone call. Do you mind if I step out for a bit?"

"Sure," She said flippantly as she indulged herself in her hacking.

Runners tended to operate in groups so nine times out of ten, they had other skills to coincide with their nearly endless stamina. Hacking was usually one of them.

Akihito sighed and opened his cell phone. He stared at it for a moment, debating whether or not he should call Asami who would be at work at this time. After what seemed like an eternity, he began dialing. The silent click of the numbers was cut off when it gave a demanding cry that startled him. A wry smirk flicked up the corners of his lips. "Takaba Akihito here," He said with feigned disdain.

* * *

Asami was furious.

He had gone to meet with a potential client in regards to an old friend's disappearance only to find that the man had no information whatsoever. When the guy's back was turned, Asami had switched out the USB drive that may have information pertaining to Yamazaki Kaoru's location only to find that the USB driver was a fake. Someone had switched it out.

Asami's first thoughts had turned to the male maid he had seen in the hallway. He hadn't gotten a good look at his face but thick wire framed glasses and dark, greasy hair stood out most prominently in his memory.

"Suoh," Asami snapped. "Call the owner and ask for a copy of their security footage. I want to find the bastard that stole my information."

"Right away, Asami-sama." Suoh bowed and quickly left, not wanting to be on the receiving end of his boss' temper.

"Kirishima," Asami threaded his fingers together. "See if you can find out any connection between Divine Corporations run by Yamazaki Kaoru and Takamatsu Rida."

"Of course, Asami-sama." Kirishima paused. "By the way, I stopped by your apartment earlier by your request. Takaba did not return and he isn't at the station doing any jobs. He dropped his shadow again before meeting up with his former-girlfriend."

Asami's eyes flashed, his sour mood abating somewhat. "Hm," He swiveled his chair around so that he was looking at the wall. Kirishima did not need to see his boss' face to know that he was plotting something. "I see then…" He smirked. "Well I will have to call him." He said with no small amount of lust. Kirishima bowed—a movement that Asami caught out of the corner of his eye—before leaving. He leaned forward and dialed in a number he knew by heart. It rang twice before someone picked it up.

"_Takaba Akihito here…_"

"You have a lot of nerve not coming back after your _date_. Care to offer an explanation as to why?" Asami asked. His ire was light-hearted but the way Akihito's breath hitched brought a sense of sadistic satisfaction to the older man because his lover knew that if he didn't offer a valid explanation, that ire could be very painful (or pleasurable, depending on the circumstances) for him in the end. "I'm waiting…"

"_Shut up, you smug bastard._" His voice sounded strange. "_Are you watching the news?_"

That threw Asami for a loop. "No, why?"

"_Turn it on. Channel six is live coverage._"

Asami grabbed the remote on his desk and turned on the small TV that hung in the upper corner in his room. He turned up the volume.

[_—attack on the super-center in downtown Shinjuku. We now join Kuroda Shin-san for live coverage._] The screen shifted.

[_Thank you, Miura-san. Behind me, you can see the black smoke produced by the plastic grade explosives leftover from the explosion that happened a mere two hours ago. Police have yet to locate the second bomb. Every area within a fifteen kilometer is now being evacuated, including one of the clubs run by chief business operator, Asami Ryuichi, who runs a multipurpose industry by the name of Sion._]

"Akihito, I'm going to have to call you back." Asami said. He didn't wait for his boy to reply as he returned the phone to its cradle.

There was going to be hell to pay.

**_Tsuzukeru._**


	4. Chapter 3

**_Title_**: Runner  
**_Summary_**: When Akihito gets a call from an old friend, Asami starts to dig. What is his kitten hiding? And who is this new kid on the block that refers to himself as 'Wildcat'?**_  
Rating_**: T—Due to change**_  
Genre_**: Suspense/Romance**_  
Length_**: 15 Chapters

* * *

**_Author's Note:_ **So a message to all of my readers. I don't have internet right now. As we speak, I am at the public library sitting in a hard chair that is hurting my back and posting this chapter.

**TSUKIYA IS NOT AN ANTAGONIST! **How many times do I have to repeat that? She is **HELPING **Akihito, not trying to get him killed. But despite that... she's not marysue, is she? Like she's a tolerable character? (and I only say tolerable because most people don't like the female protagonist in a yaoi-based fandom... don't worry though. I won't go into depth about their relationship as it is not the focus of the story.)

* * *

Chapter 3: Storm

Asami was in a right foul temper. It had been two days since the explosion at the super-center and every hour that passed only made his temper worse. The supposed eco-terrorist attack—as that's what the authorities were now dubbing it—had cut Asami's illegal profits in half as the club that had been evacuated was his base of operations for his money laundering schemes. He'd hid the evidence, of course, but the fact was that it was still shut down and would remain that way until whatever threat the authorities found was rendered innocuous.

And then to add insult to injury, Akihito was nowhere to be found.

He'd thought about having Suoh trace the brat's cell phone but in the light of recent events—and it really pained him to say this—it was for the best that Akihito remain in whatever hole he was hiding in. This alleged terrorist attack was more important than his insatiable sexual appetite.

When he walked through the doors of his penthouse apartment, the last person he'd expected to see was Takaba Akihito walking around the house, looking for things he may need for an overnight trip. "—and anyways, it's not like I'll be there the whole time. You said I'll be working for most of it, right?"

Akihito adjusted the duffle bag around his shoulder. "Okay. I'm done packing. I'll be back to the hotel in a few hours. I want to stop by the station first to let the chief know that I won't be able to get any big scoops for him. Mmhm. Okay. Talk to you later. Bye." He flipped his phone shut.

"Going somewhere?" Asami asked casually.

* * *

"_I just don't think you should be going out right now. I know I covered your tracks and my hacks are untraceable but even taking into account how good as I am at hacking, I can't erase the time-stamp in the bottom corner. They'll know just by watching the footage that someone was feeding a previously recorded stream. And then to add insult to injury, we don't know who it was that requested the footage in the first place. It could be Takamatsu for all we know!_"

"You're being a pessimist." Akihito said flatly. "Even if that was the case, what's he going to do? It's not like he can track me. Those thick wire glasses and hair grease did a good job at altering my appearance. I'm confident that I'm safe for the time being."

"_You won't be if you stay with me._" Tsukiya pointed out.

"Not this argument again…" Akihito groaned. "Look, I know you are perfectly capable at handling yourself but you also said that this isn't just your life you're gambling with… and anyways, it's not like I'll be there the whole time. You said I'll be working most of it, right?"

"_Welllll… I guess you're right. But don't expect me to be so lenient next time Takaba Akihito._"

Akihito chuckled. "Okay. I'm done packing. I'll be back to the hotel in a few hours. I want to stop by the station first to let the chief know that I won't be able to get any big scoops for him."

"_Alright. I'll text you if something comes up before then._"

"Mmhm."

"_Be safe, alright?_"

"Okay. Talk to you later."

"_Bye._"

"Bye."

Akihito closed his phone with a sigh. "Going somewhere?" A very suave voice said from behind him. Akihito jolted and spun around in shock. Asami chuckled. "Skittish." He commented.

"Shut up!" Akihito hissed. "And yes, I am. I'm staying with a friend for a couple of weeks. I don't know how long it will be. She asked for my help on a project she's working on for this company her fiancé owns." The words weren't complete lies but they weren't full truths either. Somehow, Akihito knew it was easier to give Asami half of the story and let him draw his own conclusions—and if the bastard drew the wrong idea, so be it.

"Really…" Asami didn't sound at all convinced. "Where is this… friend… staying?" Asami asked.

Akihito went still. "Around…" He said carefully. The two of them stood there, staring at one another, waiting for the other to make a move. After a few moments past, Akihito shifted his stance and sighed. He hadn't submitted but he hadn't stepped up to claim dominance either. "It's just a small project, Asami. It's not like we're having an affair behind your back and besides! She's eight and a half months pregnant."

"And what does this project entitle?"

"None of your damn business." Akihito spat. "And I swear to God, Asami, if you have Kirishima follow me…"

"Look at you, being all bossy and demanding… such an unnatural state for you." Asami commented, stepping into Akihito's personal space. He looked down at the pattern on Asami's tie. Will Asami claim him right here and now?

"There is no escape for you, Takaba Akihito." Asami purred. "If that woman lays even a hand on you, she just might have an _accident_."

"Don't you _dare_—" Akihito's head snapped up as he began the sentence but was abruptly cut off when Asami pulled his hair back and forced him to bare his throat. "She's got _nothing_ to do with this—with us—Asami. Leave her alone."

"I hate to disappoint you, Akihito, but she has everything to do with this if she's going to be competition." Asami growled.

"She won't be! Have you even been _listening_ to me?" Akihito demanded, shoving Asami back. He rubbed the back of his head where his hair had been pulled. "She's just an old friend that called in a favor. That's _all_."

Another stare down… and yet, this time it seemed so much more intense. Asami's gold eyes seemed to glow with possessive anger that made Akihito's blood boil—too bad Akihito couldn't do anything about it right now. He needed to be in top shape for whatever job Tsukiya offered up next and Asami's anger-induced discipline tended to leave him sore for days after the fact. Whatever Asami was searching for, he found because a moment later, he stepped to the side to let Akihito pass.

"Be careful, Akihito." Asami said ominously. "There is a storm brewing and I don't want you to be caught in the middle of it." '_Not like last time._'

Akihito barely suppressed a wince. He remembered all too well what happened the last time he was caught up in the middle of one of Asami's 'storms'. This time, however, it wasn't going to be Akihito that would be caught up in the middle of it all.

He'd _be_ the storm.

**_Tsuzukeru._**

* * *

**_Next time:_**Takato and Kou confront Akihito as he leaves the station. Tsukiya cracks the USB drive. Asami's suspicions grow and his fuse shrinks.


	5. Chapter 4

**_Title_**: Runner  
**_Summary_**: When Akihito gets a call from an old friend, Asami starts to dig. What is his kitten hiding? And who is this new kid on the block that refers to himself as 'Wildcat'?**_  
Rating_**: T—Due to change**_  
Genre_**: Suspense/Romance**_  
Length_**: 15 Chapters

* * *

**_Author's Note:_** Hm… maybe I shouldn't be writing while I'm like this… considering I just took 100 milligrams of allergy medication and that stuff has a habit of making me really wonky… so forgive me if any characterizations are a little off.

And is it just me or does Mitarai seem like the perverted best friend that's always making passes at the "receiving" (meaning the heroine but since this is a yaoi, there is no female lead) protagonist? This becomes especially apparent in the more recent Abyss chapters… and I'd totally ship them if it wasn't for the fact that Asami's tall-dark-and-handsome visage draws more attention than the casual, flirty nature I see Mitarai carrying.

Enough of my ramble. On with the chapter!

PS- This chapter has been edited 1/9/13.

* * *

(1) – Japanese has gender neutral pronouns and since that is their chosen language, that will be what I am referring back to.

(2) – Parkour is generally _illegal_ in most western countries. It's more common to see people jumping from rooftops in places like Berlin but otherwise it is generally done in a gym. There are some states in the US that follow the same protocol that I'm using here. I _think_ NYC/Manhattan is one of the cities that people take it one step further but I'm not entirely certain. I don't know. I live in California so the closest thing we have is hiking in the mountains.

* * *

Chapter 4: No Way Around It

"What do you mean you aren't taking any assignments?!" Yamazaki demanded. Akihito resisted the urge to clean out his ear. "Takaba, we could really use your skills on this project. The tabloid wants full coverage on the terrorist attack on the super-center. The big boss said that he wants you specifically for the job!"

How flattering but Akihito knew, though, that the big boss—the man that owned the publishing company that ran this magazine—was sweet on him. That was how he kept his job so many times before and it would undoubtedly help him again right here and now. "I'm sorry, chief. Something came up…" Akihito began but then cut off when he started grouching about one thing or another. It was pointless when the chief got into this kind of mood. He didn't listen to reason… not that Akihito really gave a reason.

"Not that I care or anything but why are you passing something like this up?" Mitarai asked from his place on the waiting bench. He flipped lazily through a magazine. "Usually you leap at shots like this."

Akihito wanted to sigh but held back with some difficulty. "Usually," He said by way of agreement. "I guess I just need to find myself." It was so much easier to lie to Yamazaki and Mitarai than it was to lie to Asami—but then again, maybe that line wasn't much of a lie either. He did need to find himself but he wasn't doing it the traditional way and, as usual, half truths were better than full lies simply for the reasoning that way if he was caught doing something he wasn't supposed to be doing, he could pass it off as their fault for drawing the wrong conclusion.

Ah. Manipulations at their finest… he was going to hell, wasn't he?

But that was a thought for another time. Mitarai grunted, interrupting his wry musings. "Alright then. Don't tell me." Had he asked a question? Oops... Akihito was really out of it.

Akihito rolled his eyes to cover up his embarrassment. "An old friend of mine came into town. She's asked for my help on an investigation she's running and considering the fact that she's eight and a half months pregnant, I think I should be the one to do the heavy lifting, don't you agree?"

Mitarai whistled. "Yours?"

"Hell no." Akihito shuddered. The idea of having kids right now, when he was only twenty three, made his skin crawl. He'd pamper someone else's child for the time being. '_Maybe in ten years._' He mused. '_That is to say Asami wouldn't mind having a child._'

He _really_ needed to stop thinking about Asami in any light other than a sick, sadistic one because this was damaging to his mental health.

After some more idle chatter (and ranting on the cheif's end), Akihito decided that it was time to call it a day. He'd fulfilled his obligations in regards to letting his betters know that he wouldn't be making it in. He owed them nothing more. "Well… see ya'." He waved lazily before making way to the exit. Mitarai wished him the best of luck before he left the building.

In all truth, Akihito should have known that he would see the last two people he wanted to see. Had the circumstances been different, he was sure that he would have offered to go to a bar with them but right now, while Tsukiya was in town, he had no doubt that they were going to jump down his throat about his dangerous pastime… and he couldn't really lie to them because they knew what to look for—his hands still had the marks his gloves left and the tattoos were still very much visible under his clothes and when it came to his safety, Takato and Kou were sharp when they wanted to be.

"Hey, Akihito."

It was Takato that greeted him. Kou was silent for the most part, probably remembering the sharp thwack his fist had made when it connected to his jaw. Akihito looked down. That had not been one of his better moments. "Look, I know what you guys are going to say…" He said after a moment of very tense and awkward silence. "And you're right. It is dangerous and I am stupid for doing it… but I swore off of it." He said. "I'm clean now—no more drugs, no more stunts. Tsukiya can't even run anymore! She's clean. She has to be."

"What do you mean she has to be?" Kou asked quietly. It was such an unnatural state for him.

"She's eight and a half months pregnant." Akihito replied. "And engaged."

"Then what is it you're helping her with?" Takato challenged.

"Investigative services," Akihito replied with a grimace. It wasn't a lie but he didn't like misleading his friends. Luckily, they could assume that it was from the nature of the job—or the fact that it was his _ex_ that asked for the favor. "It's not my usual mode of operation but hey, it's something new to pass the time and I figured why not help an old friend out? Besides, I need some time to think."

"What? That rich older chick givin' you a hard way to go?" Kou asked in a way that was probably meant to be casual but still held some lingering tension.

Even so, it took Akihito a moment to process the thought. Asami wasn't giving him a hard way to go (nevermind that the bastard thought he was cheating on him despite the fact that _they weren't dating!)_ but the fact that this tryst he had going with Tsukiya was going to dig up some skeletons he'd buried away in the back of his closet might have been… giving him a hard way, that is. "Not… her…" Gender neutral pronouns*, he reminded. Best not to have them guessing at his sexuality—though Kou looked two steps away from solving the fact that he was bisexual (and he'd long since accepted that fact). "The skeletons in my closet might be though."

"What? Your narcotic addiction?" Takato asked. "Or the adrenalin?" Akihito had to remind himself that they didn't know about _all_ of his skeletons.

"The adrenalin. Good God, no. I'm not even remotely tempted for the narcotics." That was a lie. He would have to hide the bottle of methadone he instinctively grabbed from Asami's medicine cabinet (though that brought up the question why he wasn't considering _flushing_ the bottle, but then maybe that had something to do with the fact that he was still in pain from his run two days ago).

Takato wiped his forehead exaggeratedly and Akihito elbowed him playfully. "Alright. I get it. No more drugs and no more running." Takato paused dramatically and then flailed as though he was ranting at Kou. "Man! You got me riled up for no flippin' reason!" He glared mockingly at Kou who rolled his eyes.

"I was worried, alright? I didn't like getting punched out the first time!" Kou complained.

"You were such a baby about it too." Akihito teased. It was really something that they could joke about it now but couldn't at the time it happened. But that wouldn't happen again. This time would be different.

After this was over, he was done for good.

* * *

Asami tapped his index and middle finger on the desk in annoyance. There was a missing piece to this puzzle—he just had to find it. The USB drive was obviously an important factor in Takamatsu's business and whoever stole it was obviously an enemy... and if there was one thing Asami learned from his years in the Yakuza business, it was the enemy of his enemy was a potential ally.

But what was on the disk?

And then there was the matter of his old friend's fiancée. Asami knew that Kaoru had told her to call him should anything happen to him because of his line of work but she had yet to call... and Asami would be lying if he said that he wasn't worried. He may not have met the woman but he had seen pictures of her. She looked like a fragile little thing and if Takamatsu got ahold of her too... well, Asami feared for both her life and her sanity. Takamatsu was a ruthless bastard that wouldn't hesitate to break one of his enemies' lovers even if there was nothing to gain.

His darkening thoughts were interrupted when there was a knock at his door. "Enter," He said disinterestedly, still caught up in his thoughts. Kirishima walked in with an air of smug completion that lightened Asami's mood considerably and drew his attention away from his brooding. "Have you found anything?"

"After going through the security footage at the hotel, I realized that they were streaming old footage back. Whoever hacked the systems could stream the video but not the time-stamp." That soured his mood but Kirishima didn't stop there. "Thankfully, though, they didn't have the foresight to cover the video footage from the buildings around the hotel which I've created an isolated image of the skylight that was used as an entry point." Kirishima handed him a photo of an enshrouded figure. He had a hood pulled up and a pair of apparently black aviator goggles to hide his eyes. There must have been something holding them in back because aviator goggles weren't known for staying on during rigorous activities. The fur lining his hood hid his hair but the way his clothes hugged his form (or at least what was visible of it) showed that he was was rather slender. On his biceps were mirrored tribal wings that seem to have been his tags.

Asami frowned. "We're dealing with Runners." He stated. Kirishima nodded.

"That would be my best guess. I took the liberty of matching tags on his arms with the database the police accumulated when they passed those new laws but so far, there are no matches." The law stated that every arrested Runner would have their tags put into the system so repeated arrests would be further investigated and, since Running and drug use ran hand-in-hand for reasons beyond Asami's comprehension, drug tested. Those that turned up positive would be put into rehabilitation centers and then given a six month period of parole for some minor offense like vandalism**. These laws were recent, having been passed in the last three or four years, but it didn't stop Runners from popping up every now and then.

Asami motioned for him to continue. "I also ran facial recognition across all of the traffic, security and street cameras. His running base is apparently at the Central City hotel on the edge of the business district thirty two kilometers away from the Royale hotel. I couldn't isolate an image of which room, however."

"Did you bring the footage with you?" Asami asked.

"Yes," Kirishima deposited a DVD that held a digitalized copy of the footage. Asami was very thorough. HE would want to go through them himself. "You may have to isolate certain areas as none of the footage is from the Royale Hotel. It was all taken from different building in the surrounding area."

"I see…" Asami said. "You are dismissed." Kirishima bowed before leaving while Asami took the chance to observe this… potential ally.

* * *

"So I analyzed the disk and found a firewall. This disk is apparently an on-the-go copy of his entire hardrive because I found this guy's schedule for the next year and a half plus receipts, some movies, browser history… pretty much everything a computer is used for."

"Did you find anything of use?" He asked wryly.

"I'm getting there." Tsukiya said. "After decrypting the files, I found twenty gigabytes of data connecting Takamatsu to the eco-terrorist attack on the super-center two days ago and an insurance policy he had cashed in with the CEO of the company that owns that particular line." She paused and turned back to her computer. "There was also a live video stream of the holding cell he's keeping Kaoru at—which is what you see here." She motioned towards the double-screen setup. Akihito glanced past her to see a dark haired man with hazel-green eyes and thick wire glasses on. He was dressed casually in a t-shirt and sweats making Akihito believe he was grabbed while he was sleeping or lazing about.

"You're kidding!" Akihito gaped. "Are you going to turn this over to the police?"

She grinned at him. "Damn right I am." But then Tsukiya frowned. "But…"

"I hate it when you toss a 'but' in there so casually because usually it's a very big 'but'." Akihito complained casually despite his worry.

"Yeah well… this is a 'but' of colossal proportions." Tsukiya replied. "I tried tracing the video feed but my system is nowhere near as good—or as _secure_—as what I would need. I was going to try and keep Asami-san out of this for your sake but I can't, Aki. He has resources that I need."

Akihito ran through every curse he could recall but it did little to help him remain calm. The whole point of curse words were to say them out loud. "And let me guess. You want me to be there when you meet with him." Somehow, Akihito got the feeling that that wouldn't end well.

"Oh please, Aki?" Tsukiya asked. "I won't tell him who you are. I'll keep my mouth shut about our past connection and everything." Yes, well... that would do little good when the two of them met face-to-face.

"Have you ever met him?" He asked after a moment.

"No." She frowned. "But he's listed in my emergency contacts so I have his number."

Akihito sighed. "How do you know he even has the resources you need?" He asked.

"Kaoru told me to call him if anything happened to him." She said quietly. "I didn't want to call him because I wasn't sure if I could trust him so I called someone I knew I could trust and then when you said you had a past connection with him, I kept him out of it for your sake." She pulled her bangs nervously. "But now that I have some vague idea where he is, I need the help. I've done some of the heavy lifting but I could be popping any day now. I really need the help and all he really needs to do is trace the feed and recover my man and there's no doubt that he's heard about the kidnapping by now."

Akihito ran a hand through his hair. "So then why do I have to be there?" He was stalling for time now. He didn't want to face Asami as _Pantera_ because it would be all too easy to trace it back to him. Sure, the wing-tattoos were newer tags—the way Runners were identified—but the one on his pelvis wasn't and while he had been arrested before the laws concerning Runners had been passed, that meant very little in means of hiding it. Asami could still find out simply by tracing it back to the tattoo shop he got it at.

Another sigh. All these thoughts made him want to scream and tear his hair out… or throw something through the window on the far wall. Both would be preferable.

Taking a shaky breath, he looked at her firmly. "You will not tell him who I am." He stated. "And if he asks when you give him your full name, I got a phone call from someone. You don't know who it was but I rushed off in a panic." It would do little good, he knew, because Akihito had already let it slip that the one he was working for was eight and a half months pregnant. He didn't even want to think about the problems that would cause later on.

Tsukiya's eyes lit up and she threw herself at Akihito who stumbled back but caught her before either of them could fall. "Oh, thankyouthankyou_thankyou_, Aki. I promise I'll do whatever you ask!"

Akihito smiled into her hair but then sighed as he caught her rounded waist with an ever growing sense of dread. '_Just what am I getting myself into?_' He thought miserably.

**_Tsuzukeru._**

* * *

**_Next time: _**Takamatsu makes another move. Asami and Tsukiya meet. Akihito faces temptation.


	6. Chapter 5

**_Title_**: Runner  
**_Summary_**: When Akihito gets a call from an old friend, Asami starts to dig. What is his kitten hiding? And who is this new kid on the block that refers to himself as 'Wildcat'?**_  
Rating_**: T—Due to change**_  
Genre_**: Suspense/Romance**_  
Length_**: 15 Chapters

* * *

**_Author's Note_**: I went through and edited chapter 4 so you may want to go back and read it. I added a few details, took a few out but the overall point hasn't changed. Either way. It's up to you.

Please see profile for important announcement.

* * *

Chapter 5: Wildcat Introductionary

It was late in the evening when Asami finally received the call that soothed his nerves somewhat. "Hello?" He said, keeping the grogginess from his voice. It was a trained profession of his by now.

[_Asami-san?_] The voice was tentative, as though she was trying to keep quiet. That in itself should have alerted him to the fact that something was very, very wrong. He'd later blame how sleep deprived he'd been as of late without his Akihito beside him.

Asami paused, inclining his head slightly. He had a vague guess as to whom it was that was calling him but it was too soon to be relieved. "Who is this?" He asked unobtrusively.

[_Th-This is Nakamori Tsukiya… Kaoru's fiancée._] She took a shake breath. [_I… I was s-supposed to call you when Kaoru was first… taken…_] She cut off, her breath hitching.

Asami's eyes narrowed, suspicion creeping into his mindscape. "Where are you now?"

[_I-I'm at… the C-Central City Hotel…_] She made a fearful sound as though someone had just come close to her position but she was trying not to alert them. That caused Asami to jerk to attention because something was very, very wrong here and he really should have realized it sooner.

"Listen to me. I am going to send a car—has Kaoru told you about safe-words?" He asked, gathering his holster and keys. He pressed the security button on the inside of his suit to alert Suoh and Kirishima that he was going out—they would bring a car around shortly.

[_Y-Yes…_] She paused. [_W-Wildcat. Tell your man to ask for… Wildcat._] She gasped. [_H-He's here… please hurry._] She whispered.

Asami slid into the luxurious back seat. "I will, Nakamori-san… I will."

* * *

**_Four hours earlier that evening…_**

"You know, we should probably establish some sort of protocol for our meeting." Tsukiya commented as Akihito pulled on his under-gloves. They were a simple pair of nylon gloves with a thick, cord like string that hung off of the hem on the back just below his wrist. They were meant to be tied with a pair of brown leather grip gloves that were currently sitting on the edge of the bed. He'd laced up his boots and put on his under-shirt (which was more of a plane black vest with a few pockets here and there than anything else. It cut off at the base of his ribs, just before where the overcoat would) but his overcoat and modified aviator goggles were laying on the bed beside his gloves.

"You know you're stalling," He commented. "But I agree." He added at her downcast expression.

"First off," Tsukiya said, putting a pillow down and them laying down so that her belly was on the pillow. "I need to know your relationship with Asami-san." Akihito would have replied but his eyes dropped to the pattern on her t-shirt where he saw a nudge underneath the material.

"Doesn't that hurt?" He asked slowly, ignoring the initial question.

"Eh?" She blinked and then looked down at her belly. "Oh… no. Not really." She smiled a bit. "Do you want to feel?"

Akihito shuddered. "Pass." He loved children… when they were outside of someone's body.

She laughed. "Stop avoiding the initial question, Aki."

Damn.

He sighed after a moment. "What do you want to know?"

"How did you two meet?"

Akihito walked over to the window and leaned against the wall. The cityscape was bright against the night sky. He closed his eyes, memorizing the picture and using it as a backdrop for his thoughts. '_I need to get a painting._' He thought. With as much time as he spent thinking anymore, he'd need a backdrop. Remembering the initial question, he opened his eyes and spoke indifferently. "He kidnapped me."

He heard Tsukiya stir behind him but he couldn't bare to look at her, didn't want to see the shock and horror that would inevitably be on his face. "But I guess I owe him, you know?" Akihito said thoughtfully. "If it wasn't for him, Yama-san probably would have killed me that day." He looked thoughtful. "And he could have been so much crueler about introducing me to a world that doesn't call for kind hearts and meddling minds."

"Akihito… are you…" She began. "Are you involved with Asami-san?"

Akihito looked down at the night-encased city and smiled bitterly. "Involved…" He laughed but it was far from being pleasant. It was a raucous sound and he knew without looking at her that she had flinched.

"Akihito?"

"Sorry." Akihito turned away from the city and grabbed his jacket. "I guess you could say I'm… involved with him."

"Are you… his lover?"

"…" Akihito opened his mouth to deny the claim but he couldn't very well do that now could he? He was, in some twisted sort sense of the word… but he couldn't very well confirm it either. Being lovers entailed some sense of security, of entrapment and while Akihito was entrapped, he wasn't sure if Asami was… so he settled for the closest thing to the truth. "I don't know."

"Aki… if you were his… _bauble_… you wouldn't be out roaming the streets." She said softly.

"I know that…" Akihito said tiredly. "I'm just confused…" He said after a few moments. "He calls me his little kitten." Akihito was startled when a soft sound left his former girlfriend. It took him a moment to realize he was laughing.

"What's so funny?!" He demanded.

Tsukiya's laughter died and she was left smiling. "Kitten?" She asked. "Wildcat is more befitting." Akihito bristled. "Akihito…" She grinned, closing her eyes as she did so. "You're endearing at times."

Akihito was lost—completely and utterly lost. Her smile was light and genuine but Akihito got the feeling she was looking at him the same way one looked at a cat that was stumbling all over itself. It was an adorable sight that inspired pity at the same time and for some reason, it made his cheeks burn with some sense of embarrassment… only he didn't know _why_.

"Am I missing something?"

She shook her head, "It will come to you in time, Aki. Until then, don't dwell on it too much."

* * *

The protocol had been set. Akihito would accompany her as a bodyguard. He would assist Asami and whatever goons (probably Kirishima or Suoh since they seemed to be the two he trusted most) he assigned as her protective detail. On the very likely chance that she goes into labor while in protective custody, Akihito would _remain_ with Asami until Takamatsu's underground empire was taken down.

Akihito had complained about that part—the more time he spent in Asami's presence as _Pantera_, the higher the chances of being found out. Sure, he could alter his _modus operandi*_ but that would hardly deter the smug bastard. He had senses honed from years of being involved with a world where deceit was an art form.

That was alright though. Akihito was rather good at the art of misguidance himself and what better way to test his abilities than to go against the very epitome of manipulation?

"—and at any rate… Akihito, are you even listening to me?"

The blond started slightly. "No. I wasn't."

"Idiot!" She snapped, throwing a pillow at Akihito's face. He caught it casually. "You're supposed to listen when a woman speaks."

"Really? I thought women were trophies that cleaned the house and cooked." Akihito said casually, lowering the pillow only to have his shoulder clipped by one of the many pairs of shoes she had. Akihito laughed when she spluttered things about '_what would your grandmother say_' or '_that's no way to talk to a lady!_' They had fallen so easily back into their old habits that one could easily draw the assumption that they were together again.

But they weren't. There was a reason it hadn't worked out and she was engaged now. Maybe if she had been single, he would have thought about it but he could see it in her eyes—she genuinely cared for this Kaoru.

And besides, Akihito had As—wait **_what_**?!

"Argh!" He groaned, raking his hands through his hair and pulling hard on the locks. "I'm going out for some air." He said impassively, walking forward and grabbing his overcoat. He walked out onto the balcony and pulled on his leather, fingerless gloves. After weaving the nylon cord through the slots provided on the grip-gloves, Akihito braced himself against the guard rail. It was through instinct alone that he scanned the surrounding perimeter but when he did, he felt his blood turn to ice.

There was a flash of light across from them… and something in the back of his mind told him that whatever it was he was staring at was not good.

His thoughts were confirmed when a bullet whirred past his cheek, just barely missing his eye. "Tsukiya!" He called out, spinning around and slamming the window shut just as three more bullets sailed past him. He thanked every deity he could think of that the bullets missed him. "Go into the bathroom and close the door. No matter what you hear, do _not_ come out, understand? Call Asami and get some help." He hissed. Tsukiya blinked as her wide eyes contorted with fear.

"Aki… what's going on?"

"Snipers…" He said with a distasteful scowl as he yanked the curtain shut and jerked to the side just as the window closed. "I don't know how they tracked us but they're here and they're looking to kill us." He looked directly into her emerald eyes. "Call. Asami." He repeated. She nodded before running into the bathroom and closing the door. Akihito heard the tumblers click into place just as the front entrance was kicked open in the other room.

He masked his fear well enough, putting on an impassive mask as he leaned against the door frame. "Hello boys," The armed men turned towards him. The all spun towards him, ready to fire but he raised his hands. "Whoa, there," He stepped out with his hands raised, a coy little smile on his lips. "Now, now, that's no way to play. I am unarmed."

"Enough play," The obvious leader sneered. "Where's the girl?"

"What girl?" He asked. He looked around exaggeratedly. "There's no girl here."

Another scoffed, stepping forward—just into Akihito's range—and nudging the muzzle of his gun towards him in what was intended to be a threatening manner. The young man would have scoffed had his persona for the moment permitted it.

"Do not play with us!"

"Hmm," Akihito hummed, shifting his position and making the goggles reflect ominously. "Perhaps it is you… that should stop playing with me."

"Hm?" The man pointing his gun at him grunted.

Akihito smiled. "Your safety's on."

"Hah?!" He moved his gun back but Akihito moved forward, jerking the weapon out of his hand and knocking him on the back of his head with it before jerking the man back and using his unconscious body as a shield. He ignored the bile attempting to make its way up his throat as he gazed back at them with the utmost confidence.

"Now, I think it's best if you leave." He said, tapping the muzzle of the gun against the man's temple.

The others cursed. The obvious leader laughed but there was a nervous edge in his tone. "Come on now… there's no need for that."

Akihito chuckled lowly although he said nothing. His eyes slid past him—not that the man could tell—as he looked at the clock behind him. Three minutes had passed since he'd made Tsukiya hide. She'd undoubtedly called for reinforcements of some kind by now…

**_SCREEECH!_**

Ah, there they were. Akihito smirked. "Times up," He commented.

The doors flew opened revealing Kirishima Kei and Kazumi Suoh in all of their glory. Even Asami was in the works. "Tch—you brat!" The leader began but he was cut off when Kirishima landed a hit on the back of his head. It wasn't enough to knock him out but it certainly dazed him.

"Well now," Asami said. "You're the Runner that sole Takamatsu's USB."

"Mm," Akihito hummed. "I'm not obligated to tell you anything." He said casually. He tossed the unconscious guy he was using as a shield forward. He tossed the gun onto the couch before sauntering—because that was the only thing he could really think of to describe his action—back into the room.

"Then perhaps you can tell me where Wildcat is?" Asami asked.

Akihito paused. '_Even in the midst of fear, she manages to recall the strangest things._' He thought wryly. Wildcat must have been her safe-word which was just as well. '_Well… may as well play along._' "I'm Wildcat." He said with a small teasing smirk but inside, his gut was doing strange little flip-flops. He walked back into the room and tapped twice on the door. "Tsukiya. It's all clear now." He said in a soothing voice. He kept it low so Asami wouldn't match it with 'Akihito's' voice with some difficulty but he managed. There was a muffled sound before the door opened and Tsukiya threw herself at Akihito and began sobbing uncontrollably. Akihito frowned. She was hysterical. He should have anticipated this. "Tsukiya," He said, stroking her hair. "Asami-san," He had to remind himself to be respectful even if he knew the bastard's true colors, "is going to take you to a safe-house. I'll only be a bit. There are some loose ends here that I need to take care of."

As he spoke, she seemed to calm down before he released her. "Wh-what about you?" She asked.

Akihito gave a seductive little smirk that was all reassuring arrogance. "I'll be fine."

Tsukiya nodded. "Be safe…" She bit her lip, as though reminding herself not to say his name.

"Always."

* * *

Asami watched the exchange with impassiveness. When Tsukiya ducked out under Suoh's arm, 'Wildcat' turned back towards him. "Beware of snipers," He said. "There was one nested across the street and that's how I anticipated the attack. Takamatsu seems rather fond of them." He'd taken the time to go through the disk barely an hour ago but he didn't know how they managed to track them here to this hotel.

"What about the disk?" He asked.

"I'm going to copy it onto a different one. I have an inking suspicion that there's some sort of tracker on this one." He motioned to the little red and black one that was plugged in currently. "Don't worry about that one, though. I'll wipe it and drop it."

Wildcat's fingers drummed over the keyboard attached to the dual-screen. He opened one of the drawers and plugged in a plane blue one. When the information was downloaded, he clicked something else and disconnected the copied disk. "Is there anything else I should know?" He asked.

"Most of the files are already decrypted thanks to Tsukiya. There's a live feed of the holding cell where Kaoru-san is being kept. You can try and track it but I doubt you'll have much luck." Wildcat plucked the red and black one out of the port and put it in a hidden pocket.

"Why do you say that?"

"Runners have a specific set of skills that borderline illegal. I looked at the encryption coding and it's all Linux based. Runners prefer Linux because it's easier to stay connected and no one really uses it anymore. Nowadays, people prefer more advanced running systems like Windows or Mac OSX." Asami knew this to be true. It was why he, himself, used Linux. It tended to give the hackers a hard way to go. "Furthermore, the signal pattern he's using are all places where free-running and information transportation are more common. It stays within the confines of Europe and Asia." Wildcat paused.

"You have further suspicions?" Asami inquired.

"Call it a hunch." He finally said.

"Now I'm curious." And he was. He'd been on the receiving end of those kind of instincts before but he'd never really had them himself. He relied on logic. The only time he ever truly relied on his instincts were when it came to his Takaba Akihito. The Yakuza didn't have place for wild animals and that seemed to be exactly what Runners were. They relied on instincts alone.

"Hm," 'Wildcat' smiled an infuriating little smile. "I've seen your type several times and it always amuses me to no end to watch you try and dissect the way our minds work. But let me give you a hint…" He held out the disk. When Asami took it, he stepped closer and leaned up as though he were sharing an intimate secret. "We love a good power play… a game of chase where instead of predator versus prey, it's predator versus predator." And then 'Wildcat' stepped away from him and smiled an infuriating little smile. "Don't you?"

Asami's eyes narrowed as a warning bell flared in the back of his mind. "Who are you?" He asked slowly.

'Wildcat' seemed to purr as he laughed. It wasn't hard to guess where he got his nickname. "Just take a guess, love."

'_Just take a guess._'

**_Tsuzukeru._**

* * *

**_Next time: _**Akihito and Asami get some insight and information on Takamatsu and then meet up for an evening tryst.


	7. Chapter 6

**_Title_**: Runner  
**_Summary_**: When Akihito gets a call from an old friend, Asami starts to dig. What is his kitten hiding? And who is this new kid on the block that refers to himself as 'Wildcat'?**_  
Rating_**: T—Due to change**_  
Genre_**: Suspense/Romance**_  
Length_**: 15 Chapters

* * *

**_Author's Note_**: I was hoping to get some more internal conflict in but I suppose that can wait until I reach a break in the information. I was hoping to have this chapter out a hell of a lot sooner but between school, personal bullshit that's left over from the last three years and other crap that shouldn't have interfered but did anyways, I didn't have much time to check my email, let alone get on fanfiction. I thank you for your patience.

I should point this out before I continue—the **_next time_** previews are what I have planned for the chapter but most of the time, it doesn't always come out as planned. I try and keep it as steady as possible but that's not going to happen… like Mitarai was supposed to be a one-time appearance in the beginning but he somehow ended up being enforced in this story a main supporting character. Oh well. Stories write themselves, right?

Potential trigger warnings? I don't know… I'm not good at gauging that kind of thing.

* * *

Chapter 6: Connecting the Dots

Akihito didn't return to the safehouse like Tsukiya had originally planned for him to do. When Suoh told him that she had been sedated, Akihito had bypassed the place completely. Instead, he'd gone straight to the Redlight District and slipped into one of the clubs there. He'd had a few nods given his direction as he stepped through the red-lit club before slipping into a back room that his tags granted him access to. "A new kid on the block, eh?" A female voice said casually. Akihito shifted to look back at the bar-tender who was cleaning a glass. "You can change back there." She jerked her chin to a few stalls lined up. "I'll hold your stuff for you for an two thousand yen charge."

"Thanks." Akihito replied, stepping into the stall which had a small shower in the corner. It was swankier than the place he used to frequent and a bit more expensive but he wasn't going to complain. There was rubbing alcohol for the remnants of the UV lotion and some type of lotion that one was supposed to but on their hands after taking off the nylon under-gloves.

When he was finished, he folded his stuff up in a bag and stepped out. He was dressed casually enough. He put his bag on the counter. "There's ten thousand yen in the front pocket. Withdraw as you see fit."

"Do I get a name?" She asked, leaning forward so that she was bent over the counter. She flashed a teasing little smirk that had nothing to do with seduction or manipulation. It made Akihito smile.

"Takaba…" He leaned forward in the same teasing manner she used. "But you can call me Wildcat."

* * *

The bartender's name was Shina, he'd learned after they talked. She'd just recently moved to Japan after a long business trip overseas and took up this job because her boyfriend was a Runner and she was his partner. She'd set up a contact trail for him should anyone come looking down her way for him specifically. It would help him establish some sort of alibi should Asami call him and Akihito at the same time.

The burner phone was set to automatically scramble and forward his calls to his immediate cell phone so they would be untraceable. Any text messages would be forwarded to an email address where she would forward them personally. This way, Akihito could not be tracked.

And the best of all, there was nothing personal about it. Shina was what Runners called a screener. Screeners usually ran a bar where Runners would ditch the working clothes and hit the road to get to their day-job. They were also the ones that took the running request, screened it (meaning they looked into it briefly to make sure it was legit), and then passed it on to the Runner they deemed worthy for the job. They also distributed the pay outs.

"Hey, Shina," Akihito said just before he left. "There's one more thing." He frowned. "What can you tell me about a guy named Takamatsu Rida?"

Shina blinked slowly. "He was a regular client up until about a year and a half ago." She finally said. "Came into some big inheritance after his wife was murdered and it saved his company, I guess. I don't know. Whatever it was, it came with a steaming hot plate of blacklist." Akihito sucked in a breath between his teeth. "Right? That was my reaction." Blacklist was a term used for bad business—stuff that could ruin someone's life like the murders, espionage and blackmail of the .90 caliber _pezzonovante_ as the Sicilians referred to them. Akihito tended to steer away from that as most Runners did. "Apparently he's been feeding information to the blues about various screeners back at the Metropolitan."

"So the cops rely on him?"

"From what I've heard, at least." Shina flicked a strand of dark hair over her shoulder. "He's also real into endorsement."

"Endorsement? What's he endorsing?"

She smiled blandly. "Anti-running laws."

Akihito had left after that as Shina couldn't offer him anymore information. He made a note to talk to Yamazaki or one of his old cop-friends for some more information and made a note on his phone to tell Asami what he figured out the next time he saw him as Wildcat (and also made a silent note to talk to Tsukiya about changing his name).

He blew out a breath as he walked to Asami's penthouse apartment that took up over half of the top floor. He'd done all he was obligated to do for that half of his life. He'd left a line of communication for Asami's cronies as the Runner but he'd been gone for too long from his life as Takaba Akihito. He needed to reinforce his boundaries otherwise Asami would do that for him and he was, by no means, so stupid to allow his 'lessons' to be brought up again… not that a game of chase wouldn't do both of them some good.

But those thoughts quickly left his mind and he was left with thoughts of his previous predicament. Why did Takamatsu bomb the super-center? It wasn't a Running establishment… unless the super-center wasn't the original target. But then who was? And why endorse laws against the very profession he used to do?

Akihito threw himself onto the bench on the top of Asami's apartment building with a groan. He'd bypassed the apartment because he wasn't ready to go home yet. None of it connected but somehow, Akihito was sure that there _was_ a connection and his instincts had never been wrong before.

"There has to be a connection—there always is." He murmured. Working as the head of a blacklist corporation, endorsing anti-Running laws, informing the cops of potential screeners (who were big catches in the legal industries because they had enough information to take down hundreds of employees that worked in various branches of the underground)… that wasn't even including the kidnapping attempt on Tsukiya this afternoon—and the only reason he knew it was a kidnapping attempt was because he wasn't killed straight out like he would have been otherwise—and the successful kidnapping of her fiancé.

'_Could their companies be the connection?_' He thought, standing up to lean on the guard rails and look down at the city. It served as a backdrop for his thoughts despite the fact that it wasn't nighttime yet. '_Divine Industries doesn't endorse though… they're a multi-purpose industry that doesn't really have a hand in politics._' Or so went the public opinion. Akihito had a sneaking suspicion that Kaoru had his hand in a few political pies but wasn't going to press the matter. It was probably a favor-line—the you-scratch-my-back-I-scratch-yours clause—as opposed to official means.

But that still didn't tell him what the connection was. Divine Industries was completely different from Takamatsu's business. He'd have to look further into Takamatsu Rida's social standing before he drew any more conclusions...

And he knew just the person to call.

[_Hello?_] A voice drawled lazily.

"Hey, Mitarai. It's Takaba… can we meet up?"

* * *

Asami's mood had taken a turn for the worst. He'd dissected the disk himself and had found that everything Wildcat had said was true—Takamatsu was indeed a former Runner. There had been a section with copies of his medical history and an investigation overview that piqued at Asami's interest on top of all that Tsukiya and her Runner contact had found.

It was the connection he needed.

He knew of Takamatsu's endorsement and he knew that he went to the police to inform them about potential screeners (which were dangerous catches for everyone involved because they could lead the police right back to their front door. That's why they were so valuable) and he knew that he pushed the anti-running laws—and while there had been a connection with Kaoru, who supported the Runners tenfold despite the fact that he didn't publically support any political parties, there hadn't been to the bombings (and after finding the chemical make-up of the bomb, he was certain there had to be a connection).

But the investigation overview explained it all.

Takamatsu's wife, Akane, had been his high school sweetheart and later, his wife. Before they got engaged, she had been brought up on charges as an interloper for the Mafia as—the common charges brought up against Screeners—after an unknown informant left some incriminating evidence against her in front of one of the Metro-police stations. She had been taken to court but, due to faulty handling of the evidence, none of the charges could stick so she was released. That following week, she had married Takamatsu and had two kids.

But that was where paradise ended, it seemed. Police answered a call about a domestic disturbance. When the police got there, Akane and her two children—two year old Saruko and one year old Nanami—were dead and she was bleeding out. Takamatsu arrived just in time to see his wife flatline. The doctors couldn't resuscitate her.

According to the psych-evaluation, Takamatsu threw himself into his work. He began drinking, got arrested for a few public intoxication laws, before he reformed and started running his father's business the way it was supposed to be ran. His profits sky-rocketed and his business flourished…

Only Asami knew better.

Takamatsu's business had filed for bankruptcy after he went downhill. Something happened—someone must have made him an offer or he found a less-than-legal means to making money.

The bombings were one of those means of making money.

The super-center was run by a rival business of his but an allied business of Kaoru's. The two companies worked in the same field—multi-purpose industries with a hand in everything—whereas Takamatsu's was more political and stock-broking. This was Takamatsu's means of making ends meet.

But none of that was what bothered him. What bothered him was that all of this was hidden, locked away. His background, his medical records—Asami had one of the only copies of the original profile.

Asami rubbed his eyes with his index finger and thumb. He was too tired to deal with this. He needed to go home tonight and hope that Akihito was there and then approach this with a fresh start. Drinking with his kitten and then getting into some rather elicit activities that would more than likely take up all of the night would take the edge off some.

And from the way Kirishima scurried away like a frightened mouse, Asami knew that his coworkers would greatly appreciate the effort.

* * *

Akihito's eyebrows shot up. "You're shitting me, right?" He asked. "The police suspect the informant and the murderer are one and the same?"

"Pretty much." Mitarai said. "It was a huge case. The court records were sealed but I got the testimonies and the investigation overview from an old friend. She was… more than helpful." He inclined his head with a frown. "Do yourself a favor, Takaba. Burn these files when you're done with them. These are copies that weren't supposed to leave the precinct. If anyone finds out about them…" He paused and then shuddered. "Let's just say that Takamatsu Rida is one scary sonuvabitch when he wants to be."

"Let me guess," Akihito said wryly. "You were the covering journalist." Mitarai sighed and Akihito stiffened. "Mitarai," He said slowly, warningly.

"I was more than that, okay?" He asked defensively. "Takamatsu sought me out when I was still a rookie—before I started here after you pulled one of your disappearing stunts and the chief picked me up. He asked me to write a bunch of pre-established stories."

Akihito felt his expression fall into his impassive mask of protection. "Mitarai," He said again. "What did you get yourself into?"

Mitarai sighed. "I screwed up, Takaba. I screwed up big time… and now, I have no way out of it."

* * *

Akihito and Asami got back at exactly the same time. Kirishima and Suoh were nowhere in sight—but then he hadn't really expected them to be. The two of them looked at one another and, through some sort of silent agreement, walked into the apartment building together.

Asami was in a mood but that didn't stop him from lavishing Akihito with an extravagant dinner and a few drinks of the finest beer money could buy. It put him on edge and made him feel the slightest bit guilty for manipulating him but then Asami always has been unpredictable—then again, Akihito could be unpredictable too. Something in the back of his mind stirred at that one thought and it quickly assured his downfall.

He didn't care though. Not anymore. He wanted Asami. He wanted to fall.

He felt his metaphorical claws flex in retribution but he ignored the stirring beast for the sake of stalking his prey. If he were anyone else, he would have struck by now… but he wasn't and he knew patience was a virtue well relished in this line of work regardless of the fact that he was feral as his namesake—untamed and uninhibited—and Asami was quickly catching onto that. His eyes became a darker shade of hazel-blue as he thought about his next approach and he knew Asami sensed the change.

Akihito arched his back slightly, leaning back so he could look up at Asami without turning. Asami raised an eyebrow down at him. "Not enjoying the movie?"

"I have better things to look at then a motion picture," Akihito said, his eyes glazing with lust. He twisted around and moved onto the couch, as he had been sitting by his legs, so that he was closer to Asami. He saw shock flitter through his golden eyes before he was taking the role of the predator.

"You're playing a dangerous game," Asami said warningly. Akihito knew the threat was true. Asami was in a mood and Akihito was saying he wanted it rough tonight.

"Let me." Akihito said, straddling his lap. He gave Asami a hot, open-mouthed kiss that was eagerly returned. His hands drifted down his clothed chest, pushing his jacket off of his shoulders and then working on the buttons of his shirt. He felt Asami shudder under his touch and he nipped the tongue that was exploring his own mouth. The muscles under Akihito's hands jumped—he'd startled him.

Asami growled, a hand jerking his head back in a savagely affectionate gesture. "Last warning," He said breathlessly. Akihito was pleased with himself. He was the one to make him breathless.

"I… should be warning you." Akihito said. Asami flipped their positions so quickly that Akihito's head was left spinning. His hand caught Asami's bicep and for a blaring moment, he felt the same sense of adrenalin that he felt at the dead-point, just before freefall. He felt the hand that pulled his hair drift down the curve of his back to squeeze the firm roundness of his ass. Akihito's hands went under his shirt, pushing it off of him so he could see his firm abdomen.

'_Whoa…_' He thought as the adrenalin clouded his vision but that was all he had time for before Asami jerked his arms above his head and him pinned against the couch. He gave a rather rough jerk of his hips since his hands were being held above his head and heard Asami hiss in return. He smirked before Asami's eyes narrowed dangerously. A thrill ran through his veins and his felt his pulse pick up speed.

"You're a glutton for punishment."

Akihito wrapped his legs around Asami's waist. "Then punish me."

**_Tsuzukeru._**

* * *

**_Next time_**: Takamatsu rears again. Akihito gets a call and Asami sees what Kirishima warned him about.


	8. Chapter 7

**_Title_**: Runner  
**_Summary_**: When Akihito gets a call from an old friend, Asami starts to dig. What is his kitten hiding? And who is this new kid on the block that refers to himself as 'Wildcat'?**_  
Rating_**: T—Due to change**_  
Genre_**: Suspense/Romance**_  
Length_**: 15 Chapters

* * *

**_Author's Note_**: Hm… I think that this is the turning point for Akihito. This is the point where a simple favor turns into a full blown obsession. And where things start getting darker.

* * *

Chapter 7: Point of No Return

Akihito and Asami were lying bare in the heat of the morning sun. The curtains had been pulled back hours ago but neither of them had moved since. It was probably mid-afternoon now and the sun was gleaming through the window-walls. Neither spoke but neither moved away either. "You were feeling frisky last night." Asami commented after a while.

Akihito sighed and looked back. "A moment of relapse." He said after a moment. "I've… had a few affairs that were like that." Claws and teeth, that is. Asami probably still had angry red marks on his back where he'd scratched him and there were a few bite marks on his shoulders and belly. "I was usually receiving it, though." He closed his eyes and curled closer but Asami was not so daft as to think that his kitten was apologizing. Asami smirked but Akihito ignored it.

"What else has my naughty kitten done?"

It was Akihito's turn to smirk. He shifted and teased Asami with a kiss. When the Yakuza began to respond, he pulled away. "Nothing I'm going to tell you." He said coyly.

Asami smirked and rolled so that he was on top of him, a sheet being the only thing that separated the two. "I think I'm falling in love with this side of you, Akihito." The words were sweet flattery and they probably didn't mean anything but they were enough to make his heart speed up.

"Asami…" Akihito whimpered, feeling his need escalate again.

He should have known it was too good to be true. His phone let out a shrill, demanding cry that drew a petulant groan from his lips. He knew from the ringtone that it was Mitarai and he made a silent vow to get back at him later. "Two seconds," He pleaded. "It's one of my coworkers." Asami sighed but pulled back. Akihito rolled and picked up the phone. "Mitarai, you have ten seconds before I hang—"

[_Is this Takaba Akihito-san?_] A voice that was definitely _not_ Mitarai asked.

"Yes… who is this?" Akihito asked.

[_This is Doctor Takegi Sakamoto from Shibuya District Hospital. I'm calling to inform you that your listed as a secondary emergency contact in case of a medical emergency… would you mind coming down to the hospital?_] Akihito knew that he was listed as Mitarai's secondary emergency contact—it had been done intentionally to protect themselves in the unlikely case one of them bit off more than they could chew. It had been done shortly after Akihito moved in with Asami—but he also knew that his primary contact was his family. Since he was called, his family must have either been out of town or otherwise unavailable.

"What's happened?" He asked, wedging the phone between his shoulder and his ear as he edged away from Asami to grab his jeans.

[_We believe he may be the victim of a personal attack._]

* * *

Asami was no fool but he knew now what it was Kirishima warned him about what seems like an eternity ago. It had happened on their flight back to Hong Kong. Kirishima had warned him about the killer within. Asami had laughed it off at first but now…

He had seen the way Akihito's demeanor changed, the way his expression closed off and his eyes narrowed into pinpricks. He knew that Akihito had just had a thought—however fleeting—that skittered dangerously close to murder.

This was what Kirishima meant.

"_Takaba… was ready to kill today._" He had said. "_I'm going to warn you, Asami-san. I've seen his type before—that fire in his eyes… if you don't stop your blatant manipulations of him and start courting him like the lover you want to be, you may be on the receiving end of the business end of a natural born killer._"

Asami had taken the warning to mind but not to heart. He had stopped manipulating Akihito on the same degree and had started lavishing the boy with affection, allowing him to have freedom beyond the walls of his apartment… but he hadn't released him completely. He probably wouldn't ever release the boy completely. He cared for him too much.

But to see this transition… he would be lying if he said it didn't frighten him just the slightest bit because he couldn't help but wonder. How much longer until those claws were turned against him?

"What happened?" Asami asked as Akihito got dressed. He answered in vague and clipped tones. "Do you want a ride down to the hospital?"

"It's up to you." Akihito said distractedly. Asami's eyes narrowed.

"You know who attacked him." He accused.

Akihito paused, "I have a suspicion. I won't know until I talk to Mitarai myself. I don't know what kind of condition he's in."

"Who do you suspect?" Asami pressed.

"What's it matter to you?" Akihito asked, suspicion creeping into his tone.

"Just curiosity." Asami said indifferently. That's all it really was.

Akihito seemed to be gauging something and when he came to a result, he snorted under his breath. "Mitarai got looped into something big. I think that the one that looped him into his… situation… is the one that attacked him." Akihito ran a hand through his hair. "I'm going to be honest, Asami. Mitarai and I don't get along, even on the best of days. It's all a competition to us… especially because the only reason I keep my job is because the big boss—the one that owns the company that publishes the magazine—is sweet on me… but Mitarai knows when he's in over his head."

"And that is relevant how?"

Akihito sighed. "We protect our own." He finally said. "Mitarai knows, within reason, that I'm in the middle of a situation that's quickly changing course." Asami knew that Akihito was referring to their constantly shifting relationship. Even Asami didn't know what they were anymore. "Recently, I asked him about the side-project I'm working on. He has a few friends in some high places and got me some good information but he's paying the price for it. I have no doubts that his cop-friend is also paying the price."

An alarm went off in the back of Asami's mind. His instincts were never wrong when it came to Akihito. On the field, he may have a few problems telling truth from lies relying on his instincts alone—because there was so much deception that one's instincts had to be sharper than the knives they carried and Asami was both logic and instinct driven—but this was Akihito and he knew his kitten.

"Akihito…" His voice was low and dangerous. "Who are you investigating?"

But that was it. Akihito had closed off and Asami could read nothing else. He resisted the urge to curse under his breath. "Don't even think about getting involved, Asami." Akihito hissed, baring his teeth in annoyance. "This is my case, my investigation. This is _personal_."

* * *

Mitarai's injuries were bad but it was the internal bleeding that he was checked into the hospital for. He was just weaning off of the anesthetics when Akihito got there. "Takaba," He said, his eyes widening slightly.

"You look like hell." Akihito commented. Mitarai snorted.

"Some way to talk to someone in a hospital bed."

"You whine too much." Silence fell over them as the nurse checked his vitals. She hummed and nodded to herself before she left with the clipboard. Akihito looked over Mitarai's injuries once again.

"Takaba, listen to me." Mitarai said lowly. "You need to disappear for a little while."

"What happened?" He asked in the same low tone.

"Takamatsu sent some cronies after me." He said lowly. "They spiced me up with some psychedelic medications—LSD or some crap like that. I don't know. I think I may have spilled that I gave you the file."

Akihito cursed under his breath. "Damn," He muttered. "Don't worry about me, Mitarai." He finally said. "I'll be fine. You, however, need to focus on recovering. After that, get the hell out of town for a few days."

"What are you going to do?" Mitarai asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Akihito asked. "I'm going to disappear for a little while."

* * *

"Takamatsu has struck again." Kirishima said, striding into the office that was down the hall from Tsukiya's room. "He organized an attack against a known associate of Takaba-san's."

Asami straightened out, looking up from his emails. "Mitarai." He stated. And suddenly, that call he got earlier seemed all that much more ominious when Kirishima nodded. He stood up abruptly, grabbing his jacket. "Stay here with Suoh. I need to contact Akihito. If he jumps on this case, there's no telling what Takamatsu will do."

"A-Ano, Asami-san… th-there's one more thing." Kirishima said, shifting to meet Asami's eyes. "Nakamori-san is awake… and she's asking for you." Asami paused and frowned. She was asking for him directly?

Apparently so, because she was sitting on the couch with a glass of lukewarm water (Asami wondered if it was a craving) and baby carrot sticks. "Nakamori-san," Asami inclined his head.

Nakamori blinked up at him before a rather wicked smile crossed her lips. "Aki-kun has good taste."She finally said. Asami raised a slender brow in question and she shook her head. "I know the bare minimal about your relationship with him…"

"But that is obviously not what you've called me for." Asami stated. Nakamori looked down at her glass.

"Check my cell phone, Asami-san." She said quietly. "It's the only text on there." Her eyes vanished behind a messy fringe. Asami, feeling even more wary than when he'd first walked into the room, looked down at the black device sitting on the edge of the coffee table. He picked it up and looked at the text messages. His eyes widened. "I tried to call the number… but he canceled the service. I tried to stop him, Asami-san. I-I tried… but I failed. I'm sorry."

But he hadn't heard her. His blood had turned to ice and his heart-beat thudded in his ears because in that one second… he knew.

He had just lost everything.

* * *

_Blood and shadows cling to everything around me. This is goodbye, Asami. I'm sorry._

**_Tsuzukeru._**

* * *

**_Next time_**: A haunting message! What is Akihito planning?


	9. Chapter 8

**_Title_**: Runner  
**_Summary_**: When Akihito gets a call from an old friend, Asami starts to dig. What is his kitten hiding? And who is this new kid on the block that refers to himself as 'Wildcat'?**_  
Rating_**: T—Due to change**_  
Genre_**: Suspense/Romance**_  
Length_**: 15 Chapters

* * *

**_Author's Note_**: Sigh… so much angst. Trigger warnings for sure in this chapter—sort of obsessed!Asami. Mentions of possible murder.

I should stop neglecting my babies... but life's an unpredictable bitch right now.

* * *

Chapter 8: Thoughts of Murder

This was a dangerous path, Akihito thought as he stared at his supplies all laid out and ready to be fixed. Obsessions like these could lead to one's downfall—that was a lesson he'd learnt from Asami when he'd been kidnapped for the first time. He had heard from Kirishima that Asami had very nearly slaughtered everyone in his path in order to get him back.

But Akihito wasn't Asami. He was Akihito and that meant that he wasn't going to kill anyone—at least not yet. The thought of killing Takamatsu had appeal, he had to admit but then that may have more to do with the fact that he was driving a wedge between him and Asami—and the man didn't even realize it!

Akihito sighed, tapping his fingers against the bed. Work now, he thought. Figure out the kinks in the plan later.

He got to work.

* * *

Akihito was gone. Completely and unconditionally gone. He was completely off the charts. His bank accounts were inactive. His friends hadn't heard from him. There were no flight records, no phone records… the last activity that his name had seen was the day he disappeared.

Asami had gone home to find all of Akihito's stuff hidden away or completely gone. His cameras were gone, the safe lying open and empty. All of his clothes were gone. The only reminder of his presence was his scent… and it made something cold and sharp pierce through Asami's chest (not his heart, not his heart, _please not his heart_) followed by a wave of nausea every time he thought about it.

Akihito was _gone_.

There was a knock at his office door exactly one week—one hundred, sixty eight hours—after Akihito disappeared. Kirishima walked in with a rather sloppily dressed young man that looked too familiar to be passed off as a simple acquaintance.

And then it struck him. This brunet had been at the hotel the night the disk went missing. Kurosawa something… Kurosawa Gin. "Asami-san," He said in the same whispery voice from before. He had a faint dialect that Asami couldn't place. "You'll have to forgive me for being out of character. I didn't have time to change. I thought it prudent to come here directly after I got my hands on the file." The young brunet set down a file with a recorder taped to the front. Asami blinked and looked down at it. The tab had the name Takamatsu Rida written on it.

Asami picked it up and skimmed it briefly, stopping on one name in particular. "Am I to assume that you know about the attack on his chosen journalist?"

"Assume I know everything." He replied. He pushed his thick glasses up on his nose as they kept slipping. "I've been busy these past few days, drawing a fake paper trail for Takamatsu to follow for the journalist—Mitarai-san. The recorder on top has questions and answers in regards to the attack. I got all I could out of him. See what you can do with the descriptions he gave."

Asami closed the file and put it in his desk. "Nakamori-san is awake if you want to go see her." He said after a moment. It was a clear dismissal. The brunet smiled blandly.

"I won't bother you anymore than necessary, Asami-san. But know that if you need my assistance, I am here." He said, his glasses flashing teasingly before the effect was ruined by them slipping off of his nose. He grimaced and pushed them back up and turned to leave. Kirishima bowed before following him out.

At least now he had something to distract him.

* * *

Kirishima didn't know what to make of this… Kurosawa Gin. His appearance was sloppy and nothing impressive. His shirt was tucked in, yes, but it was uneven. The suspenders he wore wrinkled his shirt and his pants seemed to be a bit too big for him… that wasn't even including the thick glasses that were bent slightly on his face. His eyes were an interesting shade of hazel blue but seemed dim behind those ugly glasses and his hair had an oily appearance to it.

"What is it you said you did for a living?" Kirishima asked.

"I didn't." Kurosawa said. "Officially I'm unemployed." He smiled a dry, not-quite smile. "Unofficially, I'm a Runner."

"And the Yakuza hasn't offered you a job?" Kirishima asked in the same tone. Kurosawa snickered slightly.

"No. I stay away from blacklist activity and the Yakuza is chalk full of it."

Kirishima rolled his shoulders. "Not quite. Asami-san doesn't do most of that."

"Oh?"

"Smuggling isn't blacklist."

"Depends on who you ask."

"And if I ask you?"

The slick-haired brunet looked at him slowly, his glasses flashing ominously. "It depends on what's being smuggled and to what lengths he would go to protect his investment."

"Fair enough, I suppose." Kirishima allowed. Not everyone had a stomach for murder.

"Kirishima-san, are you offering me a job?" He asked with the same not-quite smile from before only this time it had a tint of amusement covering it. Kirishima had to admit. This kid was sharp.

"Would you accept?"

Kurosawa stopped, his expression falling into an impassive mask. "Ask me again when this job is done."

That threw Kirishima for a loop. "You know something."

"I know a lot of things. You'll have to specify." Kurosawa snapped. He sighed. "Sorry. I'm just a little tired. I haven't slept much since I dug up that file." He ran a hand through his hair, the gesture looking somewhat familiar but Kirishima couldn't place it for some reason. "This thing with Takamatsu... it's become personal for me. I've been… familiarizing myself with his patterns."

"Is there anything that can help us with our case?" Kirishima asked, slipping into business mode.

"Not unless you want to brush anthrax spores onto his pillows." He said darkly. Kirishima masked a wince.

"What did he do to you?"

Kurosawa started walking again, pausing just outside the door to Tsukiya's bedroom. "He crossed a line I'd drawn a long time ago… and now he's going to pay for it."

* * *

He was finally done. Fake IDs, passports, an apartment and his appearance had all been set up. Takaba Akihito was no longer on the map.

But, staring into the mirror, Akihito thought…

_Kurosawa Gin is._

**_Tsuzukeru._**

* * *

**_Next time_**: Posing as someone else, Akihito gets to work.


End file.
